Patent · US Expired

Inductive coupling apparatus for charging an electric car

US5929599A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
2References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 1998
Grant dateJul 27, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 3, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/14
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An inductive coupling apparatus charges a storage device in an electric car by means of an external power source apparatus. The inductive coupling apparatus includes a coil unit assembly comprising a primary coil unit (10) and a secondary coil unit (20). The primary and secondary coil units (10, 20) comprise primary and secondary coils (12, 22) and primary and secondary cores (11, 21) for supporting the respective coils (12, 22). Spacers (13, 23) are mounted on arms (11A, 21A) of the cores (11, 21) of the units (10, 20) so that the coils (12, 22) are spaced apart from the peripheral surfaces of the arms (11A, 21A), thereby forming gaps (11D, 21D) between the arms (11A, 21A) and the coils (12, 22) to flow a cooling medium such as air therebetween. When the coils (12, 22) radiate a heat upon charging, the cooling media which flow in the gaps (11D, 21D) absorb the heat from the cores (11, 21). This prevents the heat from being accumulated in spaces between the cores (11, 21) and the coils (12, 22) and suppresses the cores (11, 21) from a rise in temperature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.